As the end of the school year approaches, it’s time to reflect on the spirit Maize and Maize South High have shown these past two semesters. As schools that don’t have much spirit, it’s difficult to find it in common places.
In a survey of thirty Maize High and Maize South students about school spirit, 13.3% of students feel like their school shows school spirit while 33.3% of students feel like their school doesn’t display spirit at all. The remaining 53.3% of students believe their school showcases spirit to a certain extent or when it is necessary.
Teagan Garcia, Maize High’s Student Council Class President, reminisces on her days as a freshman with a school sold out for spirit: “It’s not like how it used to be.”
Maize High’s senior class of 2021, also the senior class of Teagan’s freshman year, outlined the ‘hype’ for all school events, sports, and spirit weeks.
“A lot of school spirit is driven by the senior class. Freshman look up to seniors. If your senior class doesn’t want to participate in spirit days or events, then the freshman see and copy that,” says Garcia.
Sophomore Aaron Witcher recognizes the relationship seniors have to the rest of Maize South, especially at the school spirit level: “I hope school spirit increases in energy the next two years. Let’s see our next year’s senior class hype up the rest of the student body. I want to finish my last two years of high school strong in school spirit.”
As Maize High’s class president, Garcia elaborates on the moral of the Student Council after each event.
“As student class president, it’s a little bit disappointing when we [StuCo] go through the effort of planning pep assemblies, powder puff, car smash, just different events throughout the year, and not get full participation from the student body.”
Answering a survey question, 16.7% of students said they always participate in spirit week, 6.7% of students said they never participate, and 76.6% of students say they only participate in spirit days depending on whether or not the themes are considered ‘easy and fun’.
However, it’s not always possible for students to constantly rep their colors. Understanding that many teenagers have jobs, aren’t always able to afford the cost of buying fun costumes and accessories to dress up, and might not have extra money to spend to buy items during fundraisers for homecoming is crucial when counting school spirit. Some students don’t participate because they simply can’t.
“We [StuCo] do our best to accommodate our themes and spirit days to our overall student body, but spirit ultimately falls on the students as individuals,” says Garcia.
Dressing up for spirit week is not the only way to represent your school. Students can wear apparel to showcase spirit in the hallways. Wearing t-shirts to support different sports and clubs is always an option.
Witcher is excited for the future of Maize South in the school spirit department: “Even though we lack spirit as a school, our overall spirit is improving with the new generation of people. Seeing all of us competing in class chants and getting excited for game days, I hope the next freshman class looks up to us in a way that inspires them to participate in what our school plans for us.”
Our survey determined that 93.3% of students wish our schools had more school spirit, but it’s fully dependent on the school body’s participation. More student participation means more school spirit. Wear your spirit gear, dress up for spirit days, go all out for homecoming, shout your class chants at pep assemblies, and wear your colors with pride. School spirit can be improved; It’s up to you Maize students!
